FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Amir Shahsavari, President, Small Property Owners Association Phone: 617-354-5533 | Email: askspoa@gmail.com
Small Property Owners Association Announces New Leadership and Outlines Housing Policy Priorities for 2026
Boston, MA, January 2026 — The Small Property Owners Association (SPOA) has begun 2026 by passing the baton to new leadership. After serving as Vice President for five years, Amir Shahsavari begins the year as President of SPOA, with Tony Lopes elected as Vice President.
"I would like to thank the SPOA Board for their support and confidence as we begin the next chapter in SPOA's legacy," said Shahsavari.
Small Property Owners Supply Most Rental Housing and Operate at the Margins
Small property owners are small business owners who provide 65 percent of the rental housing in Boston and Massachusetts. They manage properties in a more hands-on way, making them directly available to tenants.
Rising Costs Are Squeezing Small Property Owners
Small property owners are experiencing compounding cost increases across nearly every category, including:
- Utilities, with electricity and natural gas rates increasing by double-digit percentages since 2021
- Property insurance, where premiums have increased by an estimated 20 to 40 percent
- Taxes and municipal fees, including property taxes, water and sewer rates, and compliance costs
- Maintenance and construction, where costs remain 30 to 50 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels
The Risks of Rent Control
"When rents are capped artificially while operating costs continue to rise, property owners can no longer keep up with maintenance and repairs," Lopes said.
Massachusetts History Confirms the Evidence
Shahsavari pointed to Cambridge, which once had the most restrictive rent control regime in the state. When Cambridge voters were given the opportunity to reinstate rent control in 2003, they rejected it decisively by a 61 percent to 39 percent margin.
The Myth of the 'Small Owner Exemption'
"The so-called exemption only applies to owners who live in buildings with four units or fewer," Shahsavari said. "The majority would be fully subject to rent control."
A Path Forward: Turning Renters into Owners
SPOA is proposing a voluntary program that allows property owners to help tenants build a pathway to homeownership. Under the proposal, a portion of rent would be allocated toward a tenant's future down payment.
About SPOA
The Small Property Owners Association represents small, locally owned rental housing providers across Massachusetts.